Just got an RGB scart to component converter! :O

[SilentSnipeR]

Hey all,

I was sad the day my beautiful NEC 68cm TV died. It had played all my classic consoles from the nes to segasaturn. It provided a nice clear pic via its great S-video connection.

It took many weeks of searching to find a replacment TV. The main reason being almost every tv avalible now is widerscreen. I mean, I don't mind widescreen, but I just wasn't interested because all my games would be sterched. Every salesmen would go "why would you want a 4:3 tv for", "Here is this digital rear projection tv", "what about an LCD screen". :argue Argh, it was killing me.

I finally settled on a 68cm Panasonic tv, with super flat screen and a very sharp picture. Once I got it home and hooked it up I was satisfied with the picture, I then went to hook up the sega saturn only to find one problem....no s-video

I then remembered it had component conections, which I knew provided great picture on DVD players and also on consoles like ths PS2. I then purchased a component cable for my PS2 to see what the difference was and my jaw dropped. Playing SNK vs capcom was magic!, the colours were vibrant and amazing compared to the old composite cable, even the s-video. I then started my search.

I needed to give my older consoles new life with this new found tech. I've always known the saturn had rgb out but never went through the trouble getting a scart tv. (finding a scart tv around here is hard even though we technically have the euro standard). I looked up a few sites which basicly explained how there's almost no PQ loss when comparing RGB to YUV, and it's the perfect apgrade from composite cables.

I then searched for a converter from RGB to YUV and stummbled onto this http://www.hometheatre.net.au/cyu2100.htm

It did exactly what I wanted (minus the sound but i've already fixed that issue), and the price wasn't that bad. (some places wanted upto $300+ for such a device)

I went to lik-sang and purchased the scart cables I needed (just the dreamcast and saturn for now)

They arrived the other day, and I got my converter today.

I pluigged in the saturn and inserted SF Zero 3 to see how well it is compared to the arcade version my mate has.

Once it booted up and the first fight started I was in awe :bow

I couldn't belive how great the colour looked, so crisp and clear. no more blured edges.

Anyway, I know i've probably bored some of you, but if you really want to give your consoles a new lease on life and lack the ability to get a scart tv, I 100% recommend getting one of these boxes. It really brings your old games back to life the way they were ment to be played, and now you could even throw away your old amiga monitors 😉

 

[lordofduct]

Actually that is one of my projects I just started... I am building one of those, and they aren't that difficult or expensive to build (in comparison to the cost that stores sell them at). All you need is the R, G, B and sync inputs (which are easy to get from things like the genny and other old consoles)

 

[it290]

I've been looking for one of these things, but they only seem to be available in Australia for the most part (except for some high end devices in the US). Lord, if you build one, build me one too and I'll buy it off you.

edit - oh yeah, if you could take the L/R stereo signals off the SCART connector and output them on RCA jacks that would rock too.

 

[lordofduct]

Well I wasn't gonna do them as SCART connectors (to save cost on my end)

How I was going to do it is first make plugs for each console I want and have them putout Audio, R, G, and B onto lil' male din plugs.

Then build the box with a female DIN plug that just passed the audio through and converted the RGB into component (as these converters only use those 3 signals for the process, nothing else is needed, I know I said sync before but its actually not needed.. I forgot).

See here is a simple schematic of it.

I found a nice lil' guide for doing it, but I can't post said link here cause it is a pay site that I found a back door too... stupid people.

If you want one I'll make it... either I can put a SCART plug on it for you if thats easier or I can make the plugs for you if you want...

I haven't priced parts up as I am waiting for my paycheck on Thursday to buy parts... but when I have it priced I'll post it here... I did a long time ago when I first fell across these and it was much cheaper then commercial ones and the quality is "said" to be just as good.

 

[Pearl Jammzz]

I want one too, I would rather have the plug that you are making as I don't have a scart cable, so just more costs ya know? If you could make my Saturn, DC, and Genny (mostly Saturn, Genny next, then DC) play through a nice RGB output I would love you. I'd buy you a mail order bride or sumthing, lol. How much do you think one of these would cost?

 

[lordofduct]

hahaha, wow now I'm getting orders in... I hope to many don't come in... Like I said before though, it shouldn't be that much. I looked at the list of parts and it shouldn't be much cheaper then commercial ones. I figure as there isn't a high demand for these (nor high knowledge of these) that they sell for a lot.

 

[it290]

Yeah, I would definitely want one, but I think the SCART plug and RCA audio out would be easiest for me; I already have SCART cables for some consoles. The connector may be a bit hard to find in the states though, I dunno. Anyway, let me know.

 

[lordofduct]

Actually though, I just thought up an idea for this to make it even cheaper and get better quality.

Using the idea that the fewer conversions done the better the picture. What if I pulled Luminance, Red and Blue from the system instead and did this. (black being luminance and duh for the other colors.) Oh yeah the middle triangle is an inverter and the top and bottom ones are adders.

Actually looking at this I figure I won't even need some of those resistors drawn there. As the signal is coming out at the value I want it too... I would need on the 75 ohm ones at the end and only a few of the others.

Tonight at work I'll draw a much better schematic with everything put in so that way you guys could make ones yourself if you want after I make the first one and make sure it works as good as I hope.

 

[Scared0o0Rabbit]

I'd be interested in one too depending on the price. =D

Edit: Either that or if you could send me a pdf of the guide or something so I could build one myself =D

 

[lordofduct]

I drew up a detailed one... here it is in paint (don't have a scanner here at work). Anyone who knows anything please let me know what you think!

[EDIT] I scanned the hand drawn one... its better detailed. IC1 and IC2 are Maxim MAX4451ESA dual wideband op amps

***Image removed because I wasted my time and don't feel like wasting my bandwidth...***

link to it here

 

[it290]

I'd give you some feedback, but I'm worthless when it comes to schematics and the like, man. I wouldn't know if that was an RGB->YUV converter or a toaster.

 

[mal]

Originally posted by lordofduct@Tue, 2005-07-26 @ 04:07 AM

I found a nice lil' guide for doing it, but I can't post said link here cause it is a pay site that I found a back door too... stupid people.

[post=137239]Quoted post[/post]​

Here's a guide I found using Google.

It doesn't mention being a pay site anywhere.

Actually, I might buy a kit and build one that way. I just know that I'd suck converting the circuit diagram to veroboard...

 

[Mask of Destiny]

So to use this with say a Model 2 Genesis I assume we'd first have to do the S-Video hack first to get a luminance signal or could we just cheat and use the composite out since, by design, that is supposed to average out (aproximately) to luminance for compatibility with B&W sets?

 

[lordofduct]

OHHH YEAH! I just wasted time! The genny doesn't put out luminance!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I am going to go back to the original design outlined in the website I guess. But that schematic I drew up "should" work if you wanted to do it for something like the Saturn, DC, and other things that put out S-vid and RGB.

Mal: Actually it does Mal... at the bottom of the page the link that says learn more about this. But for some reason google will pull up links that go directly to these areas they want you to pay for. I didn't link them to be curtious for the fact they "want" you to pay.

 

[ExCyber]

What's your basis for saying sync isn't needed? That makey no sensey. 😀

 

[mal]

Originally posted by lordofduct@Wed, 2005-07-27 @ 03:47 AM

Mal: Actually it does Mal... at the bottom of the page the link that says learn more about this.

[post=137289]Quoted post[/post]​

[mock innocence]

Not on the page that I linked to...

[/mock innocence]

 

[lordofduct]

SHAIM SHAIM SHAIM.. you changed your link!

 

[mal]

No, I didn't.

The edit I made was to list the link to the kit that's available. 😛

 

[lordofduct]

kit schmit... mark ups I say... see the kit costs 80 bones. So the parts can't fair but probably 50 with some good looking around. I know the two major parts of it (the video op amps) only cost 3.50 and that was the first site I tried.

 

[lordofduct]

I was right... I just priced up everything but 5 kinds of the resistors (which I can't find for some reason) and it came to a mere $23 US! The extra resistors can't cost much (the place I found all the others range from $.20 - $.40 for packages of 10).

This $23 also is with buying the PCB, etching solution and 2 regulatos at radioshits with their outrageous prices... So if I can possibly find another place that has cheaper PCB and possibly the resistors I need too it would be great and probably make this project cost significantly less then purchasing one or even purchasing the kit!

This is without a case though... I figure I'll make one after it is done out of something around the house.

Oh and the resistors I can't find are:

[all 1/4watt 1%]

$0.35 - 1x 51kΩ [R0511KMMF] *******51.1kohm

$0.35 - 1x 6.2kΩ [R00619KMMF] *******6.19kohm

$0.35 - 1x 5.1kΩ [R00511KMMF] *******5.11kohm

11x 510Ω

$0.35 - 2x 91Ω [R0909RMMF] *****90.9ohm

the ones with *s are ones I could find resistors rather close but not quite it. The 510ohm one though I can't find anywhere! The value at the end is the one I found... the one with the Ω symbol are the ones I need.